Vance delivers pre-election boost for Orbán

US Vice President JD Vance has arrived in the Hungarian capital to deliver a message of support from Donald Trump to his ally, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, ahead of next Sunday's tightly contested parliamentary elections.

Mr Vance was greeted on the tarmac by Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó after his plane landed.

"We'll talk about any number of things related to the US-Hungary relationship," Mr Vance told reporters as he left Andrews Air Force Base near Washington last night.

"Obviously, I'm sure Europe and Ukraine and all the other stuff will figure in pretty prominently."

US and Hungarian flags lined a bridge leading up to Mr Orban's office in the iconic Carmelite Monastery overlooking the Danube.

Mr Vance is scheduled to deliver a speech focusing on "the rich partnership between the United States and Hungary," according to a statement from his office.

His visit follows that of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in mid-February, who wished his Hungarian ally "success" in the 12 April election, when Mr Orbán faces the most serious challenge to his 16-year rule.

Security throughout the capital was tight with parking restrictions and bins removed along Mr Vance's expected route, with a heavy police presence and a tight cordon around Mr Orbán's office, the venue for a joint press conference later.

In a Facebook message ahead of the visit, Mr Szijjártó hailed the "personal friendship between Donald Trump and Viktor Orbán".

"There is no question that Hungarian-American relations are in a golden age," he said.

Mr Orbán has been in power for 16 years and is close to Moscow. According to analysts, he has benefited from covert Russian assistance to boost his chances of re-election.

However, polls by independent institutes predict a sweeping victory for the Tisza party led by pro-European conservative Peter Magyar.

In two years, Mr Magyar has built an opposition movement capable of challenging the incumbent Hungarian leader, who has transformed his country into a model of illiberal democracy.

Pro-government institutions are predicting victory for Mr Orbán's Fidesz-KDNP coalition.

Since returning to power, Mr Trump and his government have broken with the traditional restraint past US administrations have shown regarding foreign elections. Instead, it now strongly shows support for leaders it sees as compatible with its ideology and diplomatic priorities.

In his visit in February, Mr Rubio left no doubt about who the US wants to prevail in Sunday's vote.

"I can say to you with confidence that President Trump is deeply committed to your success, because your success is our success," Mr Rubio said during a joint press conference with Mr Orbán after their meeting.

Mr Orban is particularly aligned with the Trump administration on anti-migrant policies, which came to the fore in Hungary during the refugee crisis ten years ago. He has visited Mr Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida several times.